CVE-2025-37854 is a vulnerability identified in the Linux kernel specifically within the Direct Rendering Manager (DRM) subsystem related to AMD's Kernel Fusion Driver (amdkfd). The issue arises during GPU recovery when the hardware scheduler hangs and a mode1 reset is initiated. In this scenario, the KFD signals user space processes to abort. However, after these processes exit, user queues continue to access the GPU and system memory before the hardware reset completes. Concurrently, the KFD cleanup worker frees system memory and VRAM. This creates a use-after-free race condition where KFD may allocate and reuse freed system memory while user queues write to the same memory, leading to data structure corruption and potential driver crashes. The fix involves ensuring that the KFD cleanup worker terminates user queues, flushes the reset_domain work queue to wait for any ongoing GPU reset to complete, and only then frees outstanding buffer objects (BOs). This sequence prevents the race condition by synchronizing memory access and cleanup operations during GPU reset recovery.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a risk primarily to systems running Linux kernels with affected amdkfd components, especially those utilizing AMD GPUs in environments where GPU hardware scheduling and resets are common, such as high-performance computing, data centers, and graphics-intensive workloads. Exploitation could lead to system instability, driver crashes, and potential denial of service (DoS) conditions. While no known exploits are currently in the wild, the use-after-free nature of the bug could be leveraged by attackers to cause memory corruption, which might be escalated to privilege escalation or arbitrary code execution in complex attack scenarios. This could impact confidentiality, integrity, and availability of critical systems. Given the widespread use of Linux in European public sector, research institutions, and enterprises, the vulnerability could disrupt operations or be used as a foothold in targeted attacks if weaponized.

European organizations should prioritize updating their Linux kernels to versions that include the patch for CVE-2025-37854. Since the vulnerability is in the amdkfd driver, systems using AMD GPUs should be specifically audited. System administrators should: 1) Identify and inventory Linux systems with AMD GPUs and verify kernel versions. 2) Apply vendor-provided kernel updates or patches that address this vulnerability promptly. 3) In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, consider disabling GPU hardware scheduling or mode1 reset features as a temporary mitigation, if operationally acceptable. 4) Monitor system logs for GPU reset failures or driver crashes that could indicate exploitation attempts. 5) Implement strict access controls to limit unprivileged user ability to interact with GPU resources, reducing attack surface. 6) Engage with hardware and Linux distribution vendors for coordinated vulnerability management and updates.